Flower power

Item by Lindsey Roeschley

Christina Harman, a sophomore environmental-science major, admires an uncommon plant showing off in the Suter Science Center greenhouse at Eastern Mennonite University. Amorphophallus konjac, also known as Konjac or Snake Palm, is from Eastern Asia and has an eye-watering “distinct scent” that attracts flies for pollination.

Despite the scent, part of the plant (the underground corm) is used in many dishes, in which the scent of the flower does not affect the flavor of the food. The flower is expected to bloom for about one week. It is on loan from Robert and Gretchen Maust, EMU alumni from Keezletown, and is a descendant of a plant belonging to Dr. Ervie Glick, professor emeritus of German.